Process of operating upon label tape



13 1927. Sept J. M. REIS PROCESS OF OPERATING UPON LABEL TAPE Filed Dec. 1, 1922 .IJQLO 1'! vi Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

[UNITED sr JULIUS REIS, OF

TES'

NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR .TO G. REIS & BRO., INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PATENT OFFICE.

PROCESS OI OPERATING UPON LABEL TAPE.

Application filed December 1,1922. Serial No. 804,292.

The invention relates to a method of operating upon label tape, and more particularly to a method of so forming or treating the tape for subsequent feeding thereof, and

so manipulating the same, that it may ac- 'are intended to be cut from the tape, and

which may subsequently be sewed or otherwise afiixed to articles, such as shirts or other articles of apparel. have the label indicia printed on each of the individual label sections thereof. Or, in certain aspects of the invention, tape having the label indicia woven on the individual label sections may be utilized.

Great difficulty has previously been experienced, where label tape is to be fed forward to a cutter or other means requiring alignment, in obtaining accurate registration. This is for the reason that such tape is liable to stretch more or less. I A slight error in each label length fed, or in some of the same, naturally results in a multiplied error throughout the length of a tape, so that automatic feed in such a case might well result in a label being cut off in the middle of the printed matter.

While it has been proposed to provide devices for feeding a tape, cutting off the individual labels, folding the same and sewing them on articles, successively, the difiiculties in the way have been such as heretofore to prevent" the desired success; and this has been especially true in the case of. printed label tape having a smooth surface, fed by pin feed, where these difiiculties have resulted in great waste due to inaccurate feed.

I overcome these difliculties, and the difficulties in the way of feeding label tape for subsequent operations, generally, by a meth- 0d which, in one embodiment thereof, comprises forming transverse slits in the tape between the individual label sections, and utilizing these slits as feed determining means in subsequently feeding the tape forward for further operations on the individm ual label sections, the feed being accomplished by positively engaging the slits, in succession, and advancingeach slit to a predetermined point. A suitable finger may be caused to travel through an invariable path,

to slide along the surface of the tape from The tape may a point a safe distance to the rear of a slit, until 1t engages the slit, and to then push the tape along to a predetermined point at the end of the forward movement of the finger, when the slit will be positioned at the predetermined point, and the label then cut off at the slit. The finger will then be re- 7 turned to its starting the next slit.

With this method a label section will always be positioned immediately in front of the predetermined point mentioned, after the feeding means has moved the engaged slit to such point. The feeding finger may start from a point more or less to the rear of a slit. in accordance with variations in length of the tape by stretching, etc., or by inequalities in the spacing of the slits. It will however necessarily slide along the tape until it finds the slit, regardless of the posipoint, to the rear of tion of the latter, and move the slit to the same point, each operation.

Accordingly the individual labels may be separated with accuracy from the tape, by operating a cutting means at the predetermined point mentioned, every time a slit is positioned at such point; or, generally speaking, the slits being substantially equally spaced apart, the definite location of one slit at such predetermined point may establish quite accurately the position of several label lengths of the tape ahead of that slit.

if the tape is suitably guided and prevented from buckling, and permit the cutting off of the forward label section at a point one or more label lengths ahead of the predetermined point to which the slits are successively fed.

When the tape isthus fed for the purpose of accurately cutting it into individual labels, the labels thus severed at a definite place may be engaged by other mechanism to fold the labels and transfer them to a position in which they may successively be sewed to articles.

The method, involving the advancing of the slits successively to a predetermined point, may be utilized for registering the label sections for purposes other than cutting them off from the tape, as for example for of, is not limited to the use of t e slits referred to in the tape. The slits constitute what may broadl Y be referred to as abutment means on tie tape. Other abutment means may in some cases be used. Thus with label tapes having the label indicia woven on successive lengths thereof, the abutments may comprise slightly raised transverse ridges, woven or otherwise formed between the label sections, sufficiently marked to be engaged by a feeding finger which slides freely over the surfaces of the tape to the rear of a ridge until it engages and moves the ridge.

Objects of the invention comprise the provision of the novel process and steps thereof for accomplishing the purposes referred to. The invention will be more fully set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings illustrating diagrammatically one manner in which the improved process may be carried into effect. Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic side elevation of mechanism whereby label tape may be printed and transverse slits simultaneously formed between the label sections thereof;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of label tape thus printed upon and slit, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of means for feeding the label tape forward- 1y, cutting off the individual labels therefrom and moving the severed labels away from the cutting apparatus.

The drawings illustrate operations upon a continuous fabric tape such as is shown at 1, in Fig. 2, which tape has label indicia 2, 2, printed upon the successive individual label portions or sections thereof. The abutment means between the individual label sections take the form of transverse slits 3, 3, which extend part way across the tape.

Preferably the printed matter of the labels is printed and the slits formed simultaneously. Apparatus for accomplishing this urpose is illustrated diagrammatically in ig. 1, in which a reciprocatory bed 4 carries a printing plate 4. A pressure roller 5, preferably of what may be termed a D form, is mounted above the reciprocating bed and is adapted to be oscillated back and forth by a handle 6. The operation of this handle simultaneously reciprocates bed 4, the move ment of roller 5 being imparted to the bed by any well known or suitable means, not shown.

The tape 1 is passed from a roll 1 of the same forwardly around the D roller 5 through suitable guides, not shown, upon the roller. The tape is adapted then to pass rearwardly over the rinting surface of the bed and through a fbeding or holding device indicated diagrammatically at 7, 7,

eaner The roller 5 is provided with cutting means indicated at 8 which are properly positioned to form slits 3 intermediate the label sections of the tape as the latter are printed. When handle'6 is swung in a right hand direction, referring to Fig. 1, the pres sure roller 5 and bed 4 will simultaneously be operated, the bed being moved rearwardly and the curved portion of theroller 5 being moved into contact with the bed to press the tape l-into contact with the printing plate or type 4- and make an impression. Simultaneously, as stated, the spaced devices 8 will form slits 3 intermediate a plurality of the label sections which are at the same time printed. Roller 5 is formed to hold the ta e with sufficient tension to unwind it from tlie roll 1 and hence the portion of the tape upon the rear of the bed Willbe carried rearwardly, between holding device 7 and the fixed surface 7. When hand lever 6 is swung in the opposite direction to return the pressure roller 5, the tape will be held against returning with the roller by the devices 7 which are indicated simply as ins in position to hold the tape against tie fixed surface 7, to prevent return motion of the tape. Accordingly, the tape being thus held stationary, it will be drawn through the guides on the roller 5 as the latter oscillates and a fresh portion of the tape will be drawn around the curved surface of the roller ready to be printed upon when the machine is again operated. The feeding or holding device 7 may be secured to a fixed frame portion of the machine.

By thus simultaneously printing the labels and forming the slits 3 the latter will be located at equal distances or substantially equal distances apart intermediate the individual label sections. It will be noted that the slittin of the label tape described cuts through the thread of the fabric of which the tape is composed, and provides transverse slits of substantial length, and in any aspect of the invention in which slits or slots are formed in the tape, the threads must be separated, by some means other than perforating pins, to form definite slits or slots. The procedure particularly, described, of slitting the tape transversely, results in the roduction of definite openings against whic the end of the feeding finger may be caused to abut in the subsequent feeding operations hereafter to be described. Such results cannot, I believe, be obtained with fabric tape by an attempt to produce perforations therein by'the use of perforatmg pins, since, among other reasons, the ins will either push the threads of the abric apart so t at the openings formed will subsequently close, or the pins will press a ainst some of the threads of the fabric without breaking the same, (unless the tape is held under considerable tension).

The utilizationof the slits as feed' determining means in subsequently feeding the tape forwardly for further operations t ereon, is indicated in Fi 3. 'Theta pe is positioned on any suit-ab e guiding surface indicated at 9 1n relation to a feeding fingil'ar by any suitable means, it only being essen-' tial that the limit of. forward movement of nose 13 occur invariably at a fixed predetermined oint. This point is indicated in' Fi 3 as yin in the hne P.

ne means or reciprocating the finger 10 is indicated.diagrammatically in Fig. 3 as comprising a crank disc 14 a point on which is connected by link 15 to an arm 16 secured on the same shaft 17 as the arm which finger 10 is mounted. In the feeding o oration, the tape is so positioned that the orwar'd end of the label will be located at the point P on the guide 9, nose 13 being positioned at its rearward or starting point a safe distanceto the rear of the first slit 3 to insure its engagement with the slit. When disc 14 is rotated nose 13 will slide along the surface of the tape feeling for the slit 3 until it reaches same whereupon it will with certainty engage same and will positively advance the tape over its guideway and position this slit 3 at point P. V

A device for cutting off the individual labels at point P is indicated, diagrammatically. As shown, the knife 18 is positioned above the tape and the guideway at the point P, the knife bein mounted on a reciprocating rod 19 whic is shown as carrying a roller 20 at its upper end which operates in a cam groove 21 on a disc 22. The knife 18 will accordingly be reciprocated and the timing of the parts will be so adjusted as to cause the knife to cut off each forward label section at the slit 3 which forms the rearward boundary-of that label section, im mediately after the nose 13 has positioned 12 upon that slit at point P and while this nose is moving rearwardly to its starting position tothe rear of the next slit 3.

The forward label section will accordingly be located on guideway 9 in invariable position after each forward actuation of finger 10, the rear edge of this label being definitely located at the point P. This location or registration of the forward label is, of course, entirely independent of any comparatively small variation in the spacing of diagrammatic means is clamping the severed label in position as slits 3 either because of errors in the form ing of the slits, or because of changes in the length of the labeltape subsequent to the formation of the slits.

The labels having been successively fed into predetermined osition and severed, may then be remov for other operations thereupon such as folding the same and sewing them successively upon garments. A illustrated for the same'iscut off from the tape and carrying the same away to another point; This means, as illustrated, 'may comprise a'clamping member '23 pivotally connected to'a link 24, the other end of which is shown as connected to a rotating crank 25. Member 23' is shown as carrying a pin 26 which coacts with a cam guideway 27.. Thisguideway is so shaped and the speed of rotation of arm 25 is so chosen, as to cause the clampin member 23 to descend upon the forwar label section of the tape just'as the same is out off from the tape. Member 23 will then move along in the axial direction of the tape to draw the label to a desired point after which member 23 will rise from engagement withthe label and return to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which it will clamp the next label section of the tape when the same is fed into position.

It will be understood that the representation of means is entirely diagrammatic and that the invention is not limited to operations carried on by any particular mechanisms. I have found that the slits specifically described may be formed quite accurately in a printed label tape and that a finger such as the finger 10 may be caused to slide smoothly over such a tape to accurately engage a slit and move the same to a desired point. It will be understood that the tape should be suitably guided to prevent wrinkling or buckling of the same during the forward feeding and also that the tape should be held'frictionally on its guiding surface sufliciently to prevent the same creeping forward during the initial forward movement of nose 13 over the tape, from its starting position until its engagement with slit 3.

It should be understood that the invention is of a somewhat broad character and is only limited in the manner indicated by the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1.A method of operating u on fabric label tape bearing consecutive la e1 indicia, which comprises printing labels upon successive lengths of a continuous strip of fabric and simultaneously slitting the tape to cut the thread of the fabric and provide slits of substantial length, at substantially evenly spaced intervals between the label sections, utilizing the slits as feed detera tion individua mining means in subsequently feeding the tape forwardly by advancing the slits, in succession, to a redetermined point, and cutting ofi the in ividual label sections thus advanced, along the lines of the slits, and

clamping and removing to a predetermined point the label sections thus severed.

2. A method of operating u on fabric label tape bearing consecutive la el indicia, which comprises, forming transverse abut ment means on the tape at substantially equal intervals with each of the same intermediate a pair of label sections, and subseq uently feedin the tape forwardly to posilabel sections in definitely registered positions by causing a feeding finger to move back and forth through a fixed path, lengthwise of the tape, to slide along the ta e from a point an appreciable distance behind an abutment means until it engages the same and to then advance the same to a predetermined point at the forward limit of movement of the finger, and to then move back to its starting position behind the next abutment means, and cutting off the individual label sections thus advanced, along the lines of the transverse abutment means, and clam ing and removing to a predetermined point the label sections thus severed.

In testimony-whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JULIUS M. REIS. 

